Gaming device having multiple audio, video or audio-video exhibitions associated with related symbols

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a gaming device that provides a gaming device that displays a plurality of related symbols, wherein each symbol has a different exhibition associated with it. The gaming device includes a display adapted to display the symbols and the exhibitions, whereby when a symbol is selected, the display provides the associated exhibition. In one preferred embodiment, the gaming device includes an exhibition library that stores a plurality of exhibitions. Each time a symbol is selected, the gaming device selects an exhibition from the exhibition library, associates it with that symbol, and displays it.

PRIORITY CLAIM

[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims priority to andthe benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/689,529, filed Oct.12, 2000.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is related to the following commonly-ownedcopending patent applications: “GAMING DEVICE WITH TRAVELING REELSYMBOLS,” Ser. No. 09/606,928, Attorney Docket No. 0112300-007; “GAMINGDEVICE WITH MULTI-PURPOSE REELS,” Ser. No. 09/606,733, Attorney DocketNo. 0112300-017; “GAMING DEVICE HAVING TOUCH ACTIVATED ALTERNATING ORCHANGING SYMBOL,” Ser. No. 09/602,331, Attorney Docket No. 0112300-029;“GAMING DEVICE PROVIDING TOUCH ACTIVATED SYMBOL INFORMATION,” Ser. No.09/680,349, Attorney Docket No. 0112300-030; “GAMING DEVICE HAVINGINTERACTING SYMBOLS,” Ser. No. 09/686,308, Attorney Docket No.0112300-144; “GAMING DEVICE WITH TRAVELING REEL SYMBOLS,” Ser. No.09/689,197, Attorney Docket No. 0112300-153; and “GAMING DEVICE HAVING ASYMBOL COVERING FEATURE,” Ser. No. 09/684,275, Attorney Docket No.0112300-154.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

[0003] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains ormay contain material which is subject to copyright protection. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyoneof the patent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form itappears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, butotherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

DESCRIPTION

[0004] The present invention relates in general to a gaming device, andmore particularly to a gaming device having multiple audio, video andaudio-video exhibitions associated with related symbols to entertainplayers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Gaming devices currently exist with bonus rounds in which aplayer has one or more opportunities to obtain bonus awards by selectingone or more masked awards from a group or plurality of masked awardsdisplayed to the player. When the player chooses a masked award from thegroup, the game removes the mask and either awards the player with abonus value or terminates the bonus round with a bonus terminator. Theoutcome depends upon whether the player selects an award or aterminator.

[0006] In the above game, the controller of the gaming device randomlyplaces a predetermined number of masked awards and terminators in thegroup at the beginning of the bonus round and maintains the positioninguntil the bonus round terminates. When the player selects a maskedaward, the player receives the value of the award, and the gametypically displays a message that the player may continue and enablesthe player to select another masked award. The player then selectsanother masked award, and the process continues until the player selectsa masked terminator. European Patent Application No. EP 0 945 837 A2filed on Mar. 18, 1999 and assigned on its face to WMS Gaming, Inc.discloses a bonus round of this type.

[0007] Various other known gaming devices provide bonus games where theawards are masked. In such games, the masked awards are generallyrepresented by a symbol or image displayed to the player (often on atouch screen). When the player touches or selects a symbol, the gamedisplays an audio, video or audio-video exhibition to entertain theplayer. Heretofore such, audio, video and audio video exhibitions havebeen identical for identical or related symbols displayed by the gamingdevice. The players can become bored based on this repetitive play ofone or more audio, video or audio-video exhibitions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The gaming device of the present invention includes a bonus roundthat provides multiple different audio, video or audio-video exhibitionsassociated with identical or related symbols provided by the gamingdevice. More particularly, the gaming device of the present inventionprovides a plurality of symbols or images in conjunction with a primarygame (such as a slot machine game) or a secondary game (such as a bonusgame). Several of these symbols are identical or related in some way(i.e., they are different images of the same character or object). Suchidentical or related symbols are hereinafter referred to as relatedsymbols.

[0009] The present invention provides each related symbol with differentaudio, video or audio-video exhibitions to entertain the player. Theexhibitions associated with each related symbol may be predetermined orrandomly determined from a group of exhibitions.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment, the gaming device randomlyassociates the exhibitions with the symbols. In one embodiment, aplurality of exhibitions are stored on the gaming device creating anexhibition library. Each time the player makes a selection, thecontroller randomly selects one of the exhibitions from the library andassociates it with that selection (i.e., provides the exhibition to theplayer in an audio, video or audio-video format).

[0011] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide agaming device, wherein the game includes multiple audio, video oraudio-video exhibitions associated with identical symbols.

[0012] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer tolike parts, elements, components, steps and processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIGS. 1A and 1B are front elevational views of a generalembodiment of the gaming device of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronicconfiguration of one embodiment of the gaming device of the presentinvention;

[0015]FIG. 3 is flow diagram of one embodiment of the gaming scheme ofthe present invention;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a plurality of symbols ofone embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017]FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a standard reelconfiguration with a winning combination on the payline.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Gaming Device and Electronics

[0018] Referring now to the drawings, two embodiments of the gamingdevice of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B asgaming device 10 a and gaming device 10 b, respectively. Gaming device10 a and/or gaming device 10 b are generally referred to herein asgaming device 10. Gaming device 10 is preferably a slot machine havingthe controls, displays and features of a conventional slot machine. Itis constructed so that a player can operate it while standing orsitting, and gaming device 10 is preferably mounted on a console.However, it should be appreciated that gaming device 10 can beconstructed as a pub-style table-top game (not shown) which a player canoperate preferably while sitting. Furthermore, gaming device 10 can beconstructed with varying cabinet and display designs, as illustrated bythe designs shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Gaming device 10 can also beimplemented as a program code stored in a detachable cartridge foroperating a hand-held video game device. Also, gaming device 10 can beimplemented as a program code stored on a disk or other memory devicewhich a player can use in a desktop or laptop personal computer or othercomputerized platform.

[0019] Gaming device 10 can incorporate any primary game such as slot,poker or keno, any of their bonus triggering events and any of theirbonus round games. The symbols and indicia used on and in gaming device10 may be in mechanical, electrical or video form, although they arepreferably in video form.

[0020] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device 10 includes acoin slot 12 and bill acceptor 14 where the player inserts money, coinsor tokens. The player can place coins in the coin slot 12 or paper moneyor ticket voucher in the bill acceptor 14. Other devices could be usedfor accepting payment such as readers or validators for credit cards ordebit cards. When a player inserts money in gaming device 10, a numberof credits corresponding to the amount deposited is shown in a creditdisplay 16. After depositing the appropriate amount of money, a playercan begin the game by pulling arm 18 or pushing play button 20. Playbutton 20 can be any play activator used by the player which starts anygame or sequence of events in the gaming device.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device 10 also includes a betdisplay 22 and a bet one button 24. The player places a bet by pushingthe bet one button 24. The player can increase the bet by one crediteach time the player pushes the bet one button 24. When the playerpushes the bet one button 24, the number of credits shown in the creditdisplay 16 decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the betdisplay 22 increases by one.

[0022] At any time during the game, a player may “cash out” and therebyreceive a number of coins corresponding to the number of remainingcredits by pushing a cash out button 26. When the player “cashes out,”the player receives the coins in a coin payout tray 28. The gamingdevice 10 may employ other payout mechanisms such as credit slipsredeemable by a cashier or electronically recordable cards which keeptrack of the player's credits.

[0023] Gaming device 10 also includes one or more display devices. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 1A includes a central display device 30, andthe alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes a central displaydevice 30 as well as an upper display device 32. In the slot machineembodiment, gaming device 10 displays a plurality of reels 34,preferably three to five reels 34 in mechanical or video form at one ormore of the display devices. However, it should be appreciated that thedisplay devices can display any visual representation or display,including but not limited to movement of physical objects such asmechanical reels and wheels, dynamic lighting and video images. Adisplay device can be any viewing surface such as glass, a video monitoror screen, a liquid crystal display or any other display mechanism. Ifthe reels 34 are in video form, the display device for the video reels34 is preferably a video monitor.

[0024] Each reel 34 displays a plurality of indicia such as bells,hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferablycorrespond to a theme associated with the gaming device 10. Furthermore,gaming device 10 preferably includes speakers 36 for providing sounds orplaying music.

[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the general electronic configuration ofgaming device 10 preferably includes: a processor 38; a memory device 40for storing program code or other data; a central display device 30; anupper display device 32; a sound card 42; a plurality of speakers 36;and one or more input devices 44. The processor 38 is preferably amicroprocessor or microcontroller-based platform which is capable ofdisplaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people,characters, places, things and faces of cards. The memory device 40 caninclude random access memory (RAM) 46 for storing event data or otherdata generated or used during a particular game. The memory device 40can also include read only memory (ROM) 48 for storing program codewhich controls the gaming device 10 so that it plays a particular gamein accordance with applicable game rules and pay tables.

[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the player preferably uses the inputdevices 44, such as pull arm 18, play button 20, the bet one button 24and the cash out button 26 to input signals into gaming device 10. Forthe present invention, it is preferable to use a touch screen 50 and anassociated touch screen controller 52 instead of a conventional videomonitor display device. Touch screen 50 and touch screen controller 52are connected to a video controller 54 and processor 38. A player canmake decisions and input signals into the gaming device 10 by touchingtouch screen 50 at the appropriate places (such as on the symbols asdescribed below). As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the processor 38 canbe connected to coin slot 12 or bill acceptor 14. The processor 38 canbe programmed to require a player to deposit a certain amount of moneyin order to start the game.

[0027] It should be appreciated that although a processor 38 and memorydevice 40 are preferable implementations of the present invention, thepresent invention can also be implemented using one or moreapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASIC's) or other hardwireddevices, or using mechanical devices (collectively referred to herein asa “processor”). Furthermore, although the processor 38 and memory device40 preferably reside on each gaming device 10 unit, it is possible toprovide some or all of their functions at a central location such as anetwork server for communication to a playing station such as over alocal area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection,microwave link, and the like. The processor 38 and memory device 40 isgenerally referred to herein as the “computer” or “controller.”

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2, to operate the gamingdevice 10 in one embodiment the player must insert the appropriateamount of money or tokens at coin slot 12 or bill acceptor 14 and thenpull the arm 18 or push the play button 20. The reels 34 will then beginto spin. Eventually, the reels 34 will come to a stop. As long as theplayer has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels 34 again.Depending upon where the reels 34 stop, the player may or may not winadditional credits.

[0029] In addition to winning credits in this manner, the gaming device10 may also provide players the opportunity to win credits in a bonusround. This type of gaming device 10 will include a program which willautomatically begin a bonus round when the player has achieved aqualifying condition in the game. This qualifying condition can be aparticular arrangement of indicia on a display device. The gaming device10 preferably uses a video-based central display device 30 to enable theplayer to play the bonus round. Preferably, the qualifying condition isa predetermined combination of indicia appearing on a plurality of reels34. As illustrated in the five reel slot game shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B,the qualifying condition could be the number seven appearing on threeadjacent reels 34 along a payline 56. It should be appreciated that thegaming machines can include one or more paylines, such as payline 56,wherein the paylines can be horizontal, diagonal or any combinationthereof.

Multiple Exhibitions

[0030] The present invention may be employed in a primary game or asecondary game such as a bonus round. The present invention displays aplurality of symbols. The symbols are preferably images consisting ofvarying graphics and having various sizes, shapes and colors. Theplurality of symbols are displayed on a video or virtual display deviceas described above. In one preferred embodiment, a plurality of symbolsare provided on the video reels or in a grid-like arrangement asillustrated in FIG. 4. The symbols can be aligned or spaced apart in anorderly or disorderly fashion.

[0031] Preferably, certain of the symbols have related characteristicsincluding being identical symbols. For example, certain related symbolscould be red-colored symbols and other related symbols could beblue-colored symbols. Symbols could, for instance, be letters of thealphabet (i.e., a pair of A's, a pair of D's, etc.). In one preferredembodiment, the related symbols are identical images of characters.Alternatively, the symbols could be related in that the symbols aredifferent images of the same character.

[0032] It should also be appreciated that the related symbols could haveno similarities but nonetheless belong to the same predetermined set.These symbols can be logically related, for example: a horse and buggy,drum sticks and a drum, or a rabbit and carrot. It should be appreciatedthat any number of related symbols may be employed in the presentinvention.

[0033] When a symbol is selected, the gaming device displays anexhibition associated with that symbol in audio, video or audio-videoform. When a related symbol is selected, the gaming device preferablydisplays a different exhibition. In the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the gaming device displays a different exhibition forrelated symbols (including each identical symbol selected). Referringnow to FIG. 3, the symbol is selected as indicated by block 100, thegame displays the exhibition associated with the selected symbol asindicated by block 102, wherein the exhibition is different than theexhibition associated with any related symbol, the game performs thesymbol function as indicated by block 104 and repeats the process if theselection process does not end as indicated by diamond 106.

[0034] In one embodiment, the symbols represent different charactersfrom television programs or movies, while the exhibitions representaudio, video or audio-video sounds or images associated with thosecharacters from the television programs or the movies.

[0035] In the preferred embodiment, the gaming device 10 randomlyassociates the different exhibitions with the related symbols. In oneembodiment, a plurality of exhibitions are stored in the memory device40 of the gaming device 10 creating an exhibition library. It should beappreciated that in one preferred embodiment, the number of exhibitionsstored in the library at least equal and preferably exceed, the numberof symbols simultaneously provided by the game. Each time the playerselects a symbol, the controller randomly selects one of the exhibitionsfrom the library and associates it with that symbol. This type of eventcan occur without player input. The gaming device can determine if anexhibition is to be played and automatically select an exhibition toshow to the player, for instance to celebrate, highlight or describe awin in a base game or bonus round.

[0036] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, after anexhibition is displayed it is eliminated from the available exhibitionsin the library until the next implementation (such as a new primary gameor bonus round). That eliminated exhibition is not used (i.e.,displayed) for the remainder of the implementation. In anotherembodiment, the exhibition is returned to library so that it has achance of being selected again in the bonus round. In yet anotherembodiment of the present invention, one exhibition is associated witheach symbol. That is, at the initiation of the bonus round, thecontroller selects one exhibition from the library and associates itwith one symbol, so that each particular symbol in an implementation hasits own associated exhibition, different from all the other relatedsymbols. Thereafter, any time that symbol is selected only thatexhibition is provided.

[0037] Preferably the game device 10 rearranges the symbols andexhibitions associated with the symbols each time a new implementationbegins. The rearrangement prevents the symbols from being located in thesame place, for instance on the grid 100, from one implementation to thenext implementation.

[0038] The present invention offer players additional entertainmentbecause the player does not know what exhibition the player will receivewhen the player selects related symbols. It should be appreciated thatdifferent exhibitions could include some similar or the same features,frames or images. For instance, two exhibitions associated with anidentical symbol could include identical first frames or identical lastframes. The first and last frames of an exhibition could also beidentical to create a looping effect. The last frame of one exhibitioncould also be the first frame of another exhibition. It should beappreciated that the occurrence of an event such as a win or loss coulddetermine which exhibition is provided to the player.

[0039] A further alternative embodiment of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 5 which displays a conventional video reel. In thisembodiment, an exhibition from the exhibition library is associated withtwo or more symbols on a payline when the symbols result in or cause awin or other event for the player. In different games, differentexhibitions are associated with such symbols. For example, in FIG. 5,the same exhibition would be associated with each of the heart symbols150 a, 150 b and 150 c, but in a subsequent game, a different exhibitionwould be associated with the heart symbols. It should also beappreciated that the exhibition could be selected based on predeterminedcriteria such as when a symbol is used or what other symbols arecombined with said symbol.

[0040] While the present invention is described in connection with whatis presently considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limitedto the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the presentinvention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of theinvention as defined in the claims, and this application is limited onlyby the scope of the claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A gaming device having a gameoperable upon a wager, the gaming device comprising: a plurality ofsymbols in the game, the symbols including a plurality of identicalfirst symbols; a plurality of exhibitions associated with said symbolsincluding a different exhibition associated with each identical firstsymbol, each exhibition including a plurality of images and saiddifferent exhibitions each including a plurality of different images;and a display device which displays the symbols and at least one of theexhibitions associated with one of the symbols following an event in thegame.
 2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the event includes aplayer input of a selection of one of the symbols.
 3. The gaming deviceof claim 1, wherein the display device has an electronic configurationadapted to receive input from a processor.
 4. The gaming device of claim1, wherein the display device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input through a network.
 5. The gaming device of claim 4,wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a playingstation network, a local area network, a wide area network and aninternet.
 6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the display devicehas an electronic configuration adapted to receive input which randomlydetermines which different exhibitions are associated with the identicalfirst symbols.
 7. A gaming device having a game operable upon a wager,the gaming device comprising: a plurality of symbols including aplurality of related symbols; a different exhibition associated witheach of the related symbols; each different exhibition including aplurality of frames including an identical first frame; and a displaydevice which displays the symbols and one of the exhibitions associatedwith at least one of the symbols following an event in the game.
 8. Thegaming device of claim 7, wherein the event includes a player input of aselection of one of the symbols.
 9. The gaming device of claim 7,wherein the display device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input from a processor.
 10. The gaming device of claim 7,wherein the display device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input through a network.
 11. The gaming device of claim 10,wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a playingstation network, a local area network, a wide area network and aninternet.
 12. The gaming device of claim 7, wherein the display devicehas an electronic configuration adapted to receive input which randomlydetermines which different exhibitions are associated with the relatedsymbols.
 13. A gaming device having a game operable upon a wager, thegaming device comprising: a plurality of symbols including a pluralityof first symbols each having a characteristic of a motion picture; adifferent portion of said motion picture associated with each firstsymbol; and a display device which displays the first symbols and one ofthe different portions of the motion picture associated with at leastone of the first symbols following an event in the game.
 14. The gamingdevice of claim 13, wherein the event includes a player input of aselection of one of the symbols.
 15. The gaming device of claim 13,wherein the display device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input from a processor.
 16. The gaming device of claim 13,wherein the display device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input through a network.
 17. The gaming device of claim 16,wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a playingstation network, a local area network, a wide area network and aninternet.
 18. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein the display devicehas an electronic configuration adapted to receive input which randomlydetermines which different portions of the motion picture are associatedwith the first symbols.
 19. The gaming device of claim 13, wherein thecharacteristic of the motion picture is selected from the groupconsisting of theme, plot, title, character, and scene.
 20. The gamingdevice of claim 13, wherein the motion picture includes a movie.
 21. Thegaming device of claim 13, wherein the motion picture includes atelevision program.
 22. A gaming device having a game operable upon awager, the gaming device comprising: a plurality of different images ofone character, each image having a different characteristic; a pluralityof exhibitions of said character, a different exhibition associated witheach image of said character, each said exhibition including a pluralityof frames and wherein the first frame of each exhibition is the image ofthe character; and a display device which displays the images and one ofthe exhibitions associated with at least one of the images following anevent in the game.
 23. The gaming device of claim 22, wherein the eventincludes a player input of a selection of one of the images.
 24. Thegaming device of claim 22, wherein the display device has an electronicconfiguration adapted to receive input from a processor.
 25. The gamingdevice of claim 22, wherein the display device has an electronicconfiguration adapted to receive input through a network.
 26. The gamingdevice of claim 22, wherein the network is selected from the groupconsisting of a playing station network, a local area network, a widearea network and an internet.
 27. The gaming device of claim 22, whereinthe display device has an electronic configuration adapted to receiveinput which randomly determines which of the exhibitions are associatedwith the images of the character.
 28. The gaming device of claim 22,wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting ofcolor, size, shape and position.
 29. A gaming device having a gameoperable upon a wager, the gaming device comprising: a plurality ofsymbols having an identical identity; a different exhibition associatedwith each of the symbols; and a display device which displays thesymbols and one of the exhibitions associated with at least one of thesymbols following an event in the game.
 30. The gaming device of claim29, wherein the exhibitions are selected from the group consisting of avisual exhibition and an audiovisual exhibition.
 31. The gaming deviceof claim 29, wherein the event includes a player input selecting one ofthe symbols.
 32. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein the displaydevice has an electronic configuration adapted to receive input from aprocessor.
 33. The gaming device of claim 29, wherein the display devicehas an electronic configuration adapted to receive input through anetwork.
 34. The gaming device of claim 33, wherein the network isselected from the group consisting of a playing station network, a localarea network, a wide area network and an internet.
 35. The gaming deviceof claim 29, wherein the display device has an electronic configurationadapted to receive input which randomly determines which of theexhibitions are associated with the symbols.
 36. The gaming device ofclaim 29, wherein the symbols include a character.
 37. The gaming deviceof claim 36, wherein a plurality of the symbols have a differenceselected from the group consisting of difference in color, difference inexpression, difference in position and difference in outfit.
 38. Agaming device having a game operable on a wager, the gaming devicecomprising: a plurality of symbols, at least one of the symbolsincluding a variation of another one of the symbols; a differentexhibition associated with each of the symbols; and at least one outputdevice which displays the symbols and produces one of the exhibitionsassociated with at least one of the symbols following an event in thegame.
 39. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the exhibitions areselected from the group consisting of an audio exhibition, a visualexhibition and an audio-visual exhibition.
 40. The gaming device ofclaim 38, wherein the variation includes a change in color.
 41. Thegaming device of claim 38, wherein a plurality of the symbols includecharacters and the variation includes a change selected from the groupconsisting of change in expression, change in outfit and change inposition.
 42. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the event includesa player input of a selection of one of the symbols.
 43. The gamingdevice of claim 38, wherein the output device has an electronicconfiguration adapted to receive input from a processor.
 44. The gamingdevice of claim 38, wherein the output device has an electronicconfiguration adapted to receive input through a network.
 45. The gamingdevice of claim 44, wherein the network is selected from the groupconsisting of a playing station network, a local area network, a widearea network and an internet.
 46. The gaming device of claim 38, whereinthe output device has an electronic configuration adapted to receiveinput which randomly determines which of the exhibitions are associatedwith the symbols.
 47. The gaming device of claim 38, wherein the outputdevice includes a display device.
 48. The gaming device of claim 47,wherein the output device includes at least one speaker.
 49. A gamingdevice having a game operable upon a wager, the gaming device incommunication with a processor, the processor in communication with amemory device, said memory device storing instructions which direct theprocessor to: (a) begin the game; (b) display a plurality of symbols, atleast one of the symbols including a variation of another one of thesymbols; (c) determine a designated event; (d) retrieve an exhibitionfrom a group of different exhibitions, the group including at least oneexhibition associated with one of the symbols and at least one differentexhibition associated with a different one of the symbols; and (e)produce the retrieved exhibition.
 50. The gaming device of claim 49,wherein the exhibitions are selected from the group consisting of anaudio exhibition, a visual exhibition and an audio-visual exhibition.51. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein the variation is a changeselected from the group consisting of a change in color, a change inshape, a change in size, a change in expression, a change in positionand a change in outfit.
 52. The gaming device of claim 49, wherein aplurality of the symbols are characters having an identical identity.53. A gaming device having a game operable on a wager, the gaming devicecomprising: a plurality of reels; at least one reel symbol on at leastone of the reels; a plurality of different exhibitions associated withthe reel symbol; and at least one output device which displays the reelsand the reel symbol and produces one of the exhibitions following anevent in the bonus game.
 54. The gaming device of claim 53, wherein theexhibitions are selected from the group consisting of an audioexhibition, a visual exhibition and an audio-visual exhibition.
 55. Thegaming device of claim 53, wherein the event includes a player input.56. The gaming device of claim 53, wherein the output device has anelectronic configuration adapted to receive input from a processor. 57.The gaming device of claim 53, wherein the output device has anelectronic configuration adapted to receive input through a network. 58.The gaming device of claim 57, wherein the network is selected from thegroup consisting of a playing station network, a local area network, awide area network and an internet.
 59. The gaming device of claim 53,wherein the output device has an electronic configuration adapted toreceive input which randomly determines which of the exhibitions will beproduced.
 60. The gaming device of claim 53, wherein the output deviceincludes a display device.
 61. The gaming device of claim 60, whereinthe output device includes at least one speaker.
 62. A method foroperating a gaming device having a game operable upon a wager, themethod comprising: (a) initiating the game; (b) displaying a pluralityof symbols including a plurality of identical first symbols; (c)providing a different exhibition associated with each of the identicalfirst symbols; (d) causing an event in the game to occur; and (e)producing the exhibition associated with one of the identical firstsymbols after the occurrence of the event.
 63. The method of claim 62,wherein the step of producing the exhibition includes the step ofproducing an exhibition selected from the group consisting of an audioexhibition, a visual exhibition and an audio-visual exhibition.
 64. Themethod of claim 62, which includes the step of enabling the player toselect at least one of the symbols.
 65. The method of claim 62, whereinthe step of enabling an event in the game to occur includes the step ofenabling a player input to occur.
 66. The method of claim 62, whichincludes the step of communicating with a processor.
 67. The method ofclaim 62, which includes the step of receiving signals through anetwork.
 68. The method of claim 62, which includes the step ofreceiving signals through a network selected from the group consistingof a playing station network, a local area network, a wide area networkand an internet.
 69. The method of claim 62, which includes the step ofrandomly determining which different exhibitions are associated with theidentical first symbols.
 70. A method of operating a gaming devicehaving a game operable upon a wager, the method comprising: (a)beginning the game; (b) providing a plurality of symbols including aplurality of related symbols; (c) providing a different exhibitionassociated with each of the related symbols, each different exhibitionincluding a plurality of frames including an identical first frame; (d)displaying the symbols; (e) causing an event in the game to occur; and(f) displaying one of the exhibitions associated with at least one ofthe symbols after the occurrence of the event.
 71. The method of claim70, which includes the step of enabling a player to select at least oneof the symbols.
 72. The method of claim 70, wherein the step of enablingan event in the game to occur includes the step of enabling a playerinput to occur.
 73. The method of claim 70, which includes the step ofcommunicating with a processor.
 74. The method of claim 70, whichincludes the step of receiving signals through a network.
 75. The methodof claim 70, which includes the step of receiving signals through anetwork selected from the group consisting of a playing station network,a local area network, a wide area network and an internet.
 76. Themethod of claim 70, which includes the step of randomly determiningwhich of the different exhibitions are associated with the relatedsymbols.
 77. A method of operating a gaming device having a gameoperable upon a wager, the method comprising: (a) beginning the game;(b) providing a plurality of symbols including a plurality of firstsymbols having a characteristic of a motion picture; (c) providing adifferent portion of said motion picture associated with each firstsymbol; (d) displaying the first symbols; (e) causing event in the gameto occur; and (f) displaying one of the different portions of the motionpicture associated with at least one of the first symbols after theoccurrence of the event.
 78. The method of claim 77, which includes thestep of enabling a player to select at least one of the symbols.
 79. Themethod of claim 77, wherein the step of enabling an event in the game tooccur includes the step of enabling a player input to occur.
 80. Themethod of claim 77, which includes the step of communicating with aprocessor.
 81. The method of claim 77, which includes the step ofreceiving signals through a network.
 82. The method of claim 77, whichincludes the step of receiving signals through a network selected fromthe group consisting of a playing station network, a local area network,a wide area network and an internet.
 83. The method of claim 77, whichincludes the step of randomly determining which of the differentportions of the motion picture are associated with the first symbols.84. A method of operating a gaming device having a game operable upon awager, the method comprising: (a) beginning the game; (b) providing aplurality of different images of one character, each image having adifferent characteristic; (c) providing a plurality of exhibitions ofsaid character, a different exhibition associated with each image ofsaid character, each said exhibition including a plurality of frames andwherein the first frame of each exhibition is the image of thecharacter; (d) displaying the images of the character; (e) causing anevent in the game to occur; and (f) displaying one of the exhibitionsassociated with at least one of the images after the occurrence of theevent.
 85. The method of claim 84, which includes the step of enabling aplayer to select at least one of the symbols.
 86. The method of claim84, wherein the step of enabling an event in the game to occur includesthe step of enabling a player input to occur.
 87. The method of claim84, which includes the step of communicating with a processor.
 88. Themethod of claim 84, which includes the step of receiving signals througha network.
 89. The method of claim 84, which includes the step ofreceiving signals through a network selected from the group consistingof a playing station network, a local area network, a wide area networkand an internet.
 90. The method of claim 84, which includes the step ofrandomly determining which of the different exhibitions are associatedwith the images of the character.
 91. A method of operating a gamingdevice having a game operable upon a wager, the method comprising: (a)beginning the game; (b) displaying a plurality of reels including aplurality of reel symbols; (c) displaying at least one of said reelsymbols on at least one of the reels; (d) providing a plurality ofdifferent exhibitions associated with said reel symbol; (e) causing adesignated event in the game to occur; and (f) producing one of theexhibitions after the occurrence of the designated event.
 92. The methodof claim 91, wherein the step of producing one of the exhibitionsincludes the step of producing an exhibition selected from the groupconsisting of an audio exhibition, a visual exhibition and anaudio-visual exhibition.
 93. The method of claim 91, wherein the step ofproducing one of the exhibitions includes the step of randomly selectingsaid exhibition from a set of exhibitions.
 94. The method of claim 91,which includes the step of enabling the player to select the reelsymbol.
 95. The method of claim 91, wherein the step of enabling anevent in the game to occur includes the step of enabling a player inputto occur.
 96. The method of claim 91, which includes the step ofcommunicating with a processor.
 97. The method of claim 91, whichincludes the step of receiving signals through a network.
 98. The methodof claim 91, which includes the step of receiving signals through anetwork selected from the group consisting of a playing station network,a local area network, a wide area network and an internet.
 99. Themethod of claim 91, wherein the step of providing a plurality ofdifferent exhibitions associated with the reel symbol includes the stepof randomly determining which of the different exhibitions areassociated with the reel symbol.